Olympic's run stopped at basketball regionals

Trojans stopped short of state by Blaine

STANWOOD - The tears flowed freely as the Olympic girls basketball team slowly made its way out of the visiting locker room at Stanwood High School Saturday night.

The Trojans had survived three straight loser-out games in the district tournament to advance to the Class 2A regional game against the Blaine Borderites.

But Blaine's defense, particularly on Olympic forward Ashli Payne, and hot shooting in the fourth quarter lifted the Borderites past the Trojans 51-41 in the loser-out, winner-to-state game.

Olympic senior Jalyn Halstead said the toughest part about the loss is not playing with her friends anymore.

"Especially for the seniors," she said. "That could have been my last time ever playing competitive basketball."

"I couldn't be more proud of the way the kids played," an emotional Olympic coach Laurie Shaw said.

Neither team gained an advantage in the first half. Blaine's biggest lead was 15-10 with 1:34 left in the second quarter, but senior Savannah Quitevis hit a jumper and then followed with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the score at 15.

The Trojans (17-11) had their biggest lead at 25-20 in the third on a Halstead 3-pointer, but Blaine (18-6) clamped down defensively and went on a 12-5 run to finish the quarter. Taylor V'Dovec's jumper from the left corner at the buzzer gave Blaine a 32-30 lead and deflated the Trojans.

Blaine, which had struggled to find its shot early, began hitting from the outside and took a 38-30 lead on a 3-pointer by Stefawn Perrin with 5:21 left. The lead remained a 10-point cushion the rest of the way as the Trojans were forced to foul. Halstead led Oly with 16 points and Payne chipped in 10 points and 15 rebounds.

"We struggled with the physical nature of the way they're allowed to play," said Shaw, adding the referees allowed more hands-on defense than the Trojans had seen.

"I think they knew we had shooters and we had Ashli inside and they know how good she is and so they double and triple-teamed her," Halstead said. "We didn't adjust very well."

Shaw admitted she started tearing up before the game knowing it could be the final game coaching this particular group of seniors: Quitevis, Halstead, Phinney, Melia Lagat, Alyssa Hutchinson and Courtnie Burleigh.

"(I'm) sure going to miss those six seniors," she said.

Olympic had not been to the postseason since 1995. The Trojans made the playoffs the last four years: twice to the sub-district and twice to regionals.

"It's a tribute to how much these kids love the game even though many of them are not basketball-only athletes," Shaw said, once more pausing to gain control of her emotions. "I've been absolutely blessed with kids who work hard and are committed to what we're trying to do."